Hospira bacteriostatic water 30mL is one of the standard vial formats research labs keep on hand for peptide reconstitution. The 30mL size suits operations that work through multiple peptide vials in a single project cycle — it reduces vial-change frequency without committing to a larger container that stays open for weeks.
This post covers the key specifications, storage requirements, and handling considerations for this particular format.
What the Vial Contains
Hospira (a Pfizer subsidiary) manufactures this product as bacteriostatic water for injection, USP. The active preservative is 0.9% benzyl alcohol by weight — the standard bacteriostatic agent used in multi-dose pharmaceutical vials. Benzyl alcohol inhibits microbial growth between draws, allowing a single 30mL vial to support multiple needle entries without compromising sterility under proper aseptic conditions.
The water base is water for injection (WFI) quality. WFI starts from highly purified water and undergoes bacterial endotoxin testing during manufacture, which means it does not introduce contamination to peptide solutions that have themselves been screened for endotoxin content. pH runs approximately 5.0–7.0, a range in which most research-grade peptides dissolve without requiring additional buffers.
The Hospira bacteriostatic water product page lists current availability and ordering details.
Vial Specifications
The 30mL container is a multi-dose glass vial sealed with a rubber septum under an aluminum crimp ring. Researchers draw from it repeatedly without removing the cap — each entry goes through the septum with a sterile needle. The glass is Type I borosilicate, the material class standard for pharmaceutical injectable containers.
Usable volume is the full 30mL. At a reconstitution ratio of 1 mL per 10 mg of peptide, that works out to enough volume for up to 30 standard 10mg vials assuming each receives exactly 1 mL. In practice, higher-concentration vials or peptides requiring larger volumes (some compounds dissolve better at 2–3 mL) will reduce the total number of reconstitutions per container, so plan your draw schedule before committing to a single vial across a long protocol.
The product arrives sterile as packaged. Inspect the septum and seal for any visible damage before the first draw.
Storage and Shelf Conditions
Unopened vials should be stored at controlled room temperature, 20–25°C (68–77°F), away from direct light. Do not freeze. Freezing stresses the rubber septum and can compromise the crimp seal, which creates a contamination risk even if the vial looks intact after thawing.
After the first entry, track the date on the vial per your lab’s standard operating procedures for opened multi-dose containers. Benzyl alcohol provides preservative activity across multiple draws, but does not eliminate the need for documented open times and aseptic technique on every entry. Swab the septum with 70% isopropyl alcohol, allow it to dry, and use a fresh sterile needle for each draw.
Reconstituted peptide solutions go into refrigerated storage (2–8°C) separately from the bacteriostatic water vial. The finished solution and the diluent vial are on different storage regimens once reconstitution is complete.
The general bacteriostatic water product page covers additional storage context for related formats.
Reconstitution Ratios in Research Settings
For most research-grade peptide vials, a starting point of 1 mL of bacteriostatic water per 10 mg of peptide provides a workable solution concentration. This is a reference ratio common in research-supply documentation, not a clinical protocol. Some labs adjust volume based on the specific peptide’s solubility profile, target concentration for their assay, or the handling convenience of the resulting solution.
Two compounds that typically require larger volumes are NAD+ and glutathione, where researchers commonly use more than 3 mL to achieve complete dissolution without elevated viscosity. GHK-Cu is generally reconstituted with 3 mL. For everything else, the 1 mL per 10 mg starting ratio and a cap of 3 mL per vial applies as a practical upper bound before considering concentration effects on downstream assays.
The 30mL Hospira vial accommodates both single-peptide protocols and setups where several different peptide vials are reconstituted in the same session. Having one larger diluent source on the bench is generally cleaner than opening a fresh small vial for each peptide.
Browse the full research supplies section for related lab consumables.
FAQ
What concentration of benzyl alcohol is in Hospira bacteriostatic water 30mL?
The formulation contains 0.9% (w/v) benzyl alcohol. This is the standard concentration for USP-grade bacteriostatic water for injection and is the same level found in other multi-dose injectable diluents. It is sufficient to inhibit common microbial contaminants between draws without materially affecting the pH or tonicity of the diluent.
How many times can the 30mL vial be entered?
The vial is designed for multi-dose use, meaning it supports repeated needle entries. The practical limit depends on your lab’s SOPs for opened multi-dose vials rather than a fixed manufacturer number. Aseptic technique — septum swabbing, sterile needle for each draw, documented open date — is the controlling factor for maintaining vial integrity across multiple entries.
Is the 30mL size more economical than the 30mL bacteriostatic water format alternatives?
The 30mL Hospira vial is a widely recognized format with a documented quality history, which is relevant when labs document their supply chain for research compliance purposes. Whether it is the most efficient size depends on the volume demands of the specific project. Labs reconstituting many vials per run benefit from the 30mL format; labs with lighter diluent needs may find a smaller container reduces unnecessary open-container time.
All products discussed are for laboratory research use only and are not for human or veterinary use.